Understanding Cognitive Dissonance: Its Impact on Mental Health and Both Positive and Negative Choices
What is cognitive dissonance? Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when an individual experiences conflicting thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, leading to a sense of discomfort and stress. But what is cognitive dissonance exactly? It is the mental tension that arises from holding two contradictory ideas, attitudes, beliefs or values simultaneously. For instance, one may believe in healthy eating but still indulge in junk food, creating a conflict between beliefs and actions. The feelings of discomfort becomes great enough due to cognitive dissonance, people try and create an alignment in their thoughts, beliefs or behaviors to feel more at ease.
What is Cognitive Dissonance?
So, what is cognitive dissonance?
The term was originally termed by Leon Festinger in 1956. He originally was researching people who were members of a cult who believed in unusual things. Cognitive dissonance theory elucidates human behavior by suggesting that individuals have an inherent bias to seek harmony between their expectations and reality. To achieve this harmony, people engage in a process known as “dissonance reduction.” This process can occur through lowering the significance of one of the conflicting factors, introducing consonant elements, or altering one of the discordant factors. His research helped us understand this bias and gave valuable insights into otherwise perplexing, irrational, and even detrimental human behavior.
What is cognitive dissonance is not just limited to minor everyday conflicts or full on thoughts not based in reality but it can also have profound implications on one’s mental health and people’s decision-making processes.
People sometimes use psychological tactics like rationalization, projection, blaming, minimizing, and defensiveness to protect their ego when experiencing cognitive dissonance.
- Rationalization: This involves creating logical but false explanations to justify one’s actions or beliefs.
- Projection: In this tactic, individuals attribute their own undesirable thoughts or emotions to others.
- Blaming: This is the act of shifting responsibility for one’s mistakes or flaws onto external factors or other people.
- Minimizing: Here, individuals downplay the significance of their actions or experiences to reduce emotional impact.
- Defensiveness: This occurs when people react aggressively or dismissively to perceived criticism in order to protect themselves from feelings of inadequacy.
- Secrecy: This occurs when people are embarrassed and choose to cover up the material that causes the dissonance. It is much like out of sight out of mind. This often happens when people do not understand why a victim stays with their abuser. They may not understand the trauma bond and how difficult it is to break away.
What is Cognitive Dissonance. Understanding ts Influence on Mental Health
When exploring what is cognitive dissonance, it is essential to understand its effects on mental health. The discomfort caused by cognitive dissonance can lead to stress, anxiety, and feelings of guilt. In abusive relationships, what is cognitive dissonance plays a significant role. Victims may hold the belief that they deserve respect and love, yet their experiences contradict these beliefs, creating intense mental strain. This cognitive dissonance often leads to a cycle of self-doubt and emotional turmoil, affecting their overall mental health.
What is Cognitive Dissonance and its Relation to Our Decision-Making
What is cognitive dissonance in the context of decision-making? It often influences the choices we make, pushing us to resolve the dissonance by either changing our beliefs or altering our actions. For example, someone who values environmental conservation might experience cognitive dissonance if they drive a gas-guzzling car. To reduce the discomfort, they might decide to switch to a more eco-friendly vehicle or rationalize their choice by downplaying the environmental impact. Understanding what is cognitive dissonance helps explain why people sometimes make decisions that seem irrational or contradictory.
Sometimes with cognitive dissonance we may see certain common patterns of behaviors. However, everyone experiences cognitive dissonance from time to time, but it can be hard to recognize. Signs include:
- Discomfort before an action or decision
- Acting due to social pressure and conformation to the norm or their peer group
- Feeling embarrassed or ashamed and hiding actions
- Experiencing guilt or regret
- Justifying or rationalizing choices
Mental Health Conditions and Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is not inherently negative. It is a common experience when individuals face conflict or are on the verge of change. This phenomenon can create enough discomfort to act as a precursor for significant changes in one’s life, in order to break free of these internal conflicts. Adversity and uncomfortable experiences often contribute to personal growth. Additionally, it is important to understand the role of cognitive dissonance in mental health conditions.
Cognitive dissonance is relevant in conditions such as depression and anxiety. Individuals with depression may experience a conflict between their belief of being unworthy of happiness and their desire for joy, resulting in cognitive dissonance. Similarly, those with anxiety might face dissonance when their fear-driven behaviors contradict their rational understanding that such fears are often unfounded. The inner turmoil related to these desires and behaviors can be exhausting, requiring more skills and coping strategies for individuals to experience self-growth.
Individuals who participate in yo-yo dieting or other behavior patterns may have difficulty maintaining consistency with their dietary regime and may experience periods of relapse. This can also apply to the use of substances and similar behaviors. It is common to see this in people who struggle with making healthy choices and maintaining a balanced diet.
However, there is hope for positive change. Cognitive dissonance, which is the mental discomfort experienced when one’s actions conflict with their beliefs or values, may provide enough motivation for ongoing long-term change if the discomfort felt is significant enough. That is why many people talk about hitting rock bottom before they start moving upward towards healthier habits and choices.
In abusive relationships, cognitive dissonance becomes a critical factor. Victims may struggle with the belief that they should leave the abusive situation, yet their emotional attachment and hope for change keep them in the relationship, creating a painful cognitive dissonance. This ongoing conflict can severely affect their mental health, leading to depression, anxiety, and diminished self-esteem.
Abusive behaviors can often be contradictory, leading to cognitive dissonance. People in these relationships can also experience symptoms of PTSD. However, they still are presented with conflicting information. For example, an individual may experience a wonderful trip filled with affection, followed by being stood up for a dinner date and receiving verbal criticism for feeling upset. These two events do not align with one another. At times, victims may rationalize the situation by minimizing, making excuses, justifying, or downplaying their partner’s hurtful actions. The victim cannot make sense and align abuse with the loving behaviors.
Love Bombing, Breadcrumbing, Abuse and What is Cognitive Dissonance in Narcissistic Relationships
Love bombing is a manipulative tactic often used in narcissistic relationships, where the narcissist showers their partner with excessive affection, attention, and gifts in the initial stages. This creates an intense emotional bond and a sense of euphoria for the victim. However, this is typically followed by breadcrumbing, where the narcissist provides sporadic and minimal affection or attention, keeping their partner hooked and craving the initial intense love.
These manipulative behaviors lead to significant cognitive dissonance within the victim. On one hand, they recall the overwhelming affection and positive experiences from the love bombing phase and believe the narcissist genuinely loves them. On the other hand, the breadcrumbing phase creates confusion and self-doubt as the narcissist’s inconsistent behavior clashes with the victim’s beliefs about love and relationships.
Cognitive dissonance in these contexts can cause profound mental distress. The victim may struggle to reconcile the affectionate memories with the current neglect and mistreatment, leading to cycles of hope and despair. This ongoing conflict can severely impact their mental health, leading to issues such as anxiety, depression, and diminished self-esteem.
Understanding what is cognitive dissonance helps explain why victims may stay in such toxic relationships, hoping for a return to the initial love bombing phase. The emotional turmoil and manipulation keep them trapped, perpetuating the cycle of abuse and cognitive dissonance.
What is Cognitive Dissonance and It's Positive Aspects
While exploring what is cognitive dissonance, it is important to note that it can also have positive outcomes. Cognitive dissonance can drive personal growth and change. When individuals recognize the dissonance between their actions and beliefs, they may be motivated to make positive changes. This can be an instigator for change, when the dissonance is too great. For instance, someone who values health but smokes might experience cognitive dissonance, which could prompt them to quit smoking and adopt healthier habits. Understanding what is cognitive dissonance helps highlight its role in initiating change and fostering self-improvement.
What is cognitive dissonance in the realm of positive change? It acts as a catalyst for self-reflection and transformation. By confronting the discomfort and resolving the dissonance, individuals can align their actions with their values, leading to more fulfilling lives. This process is crucial in therapy and personal development, where recognizing cognitive dissonance can be the first step towards meaningful change.
The discomfort that arises when there is a conflict between one’s core beliefs and values versus their behavior, or even the behavior of others, creates cognitive dissonance. While this dissonance is uncomfortable, it is not inherently negative; rather, it serves as a powerful catalyst for growth and change. By leaning into this discomfort, individuals can harness their capacity for personal development. When our beliefs are challenged, it compels us to reflect, adapt, and ultimately evolve. This process, though challenging, can lead to profound positive effects, fostering resilience and a deeper alignment between our actions and values.
When It Gets Uncomfortable. Strategies to Manage Cognitive Dissonance
Understanding what is cognitive dissonance is crucial for developing strategies to manage it. Some effective ways to reduce cognitive dissonance include:
- Changing one’s behavior to align with their beliefs: This approach involves taking actionable steps to bring your actions in line with your core values and beliefs. For example, if you value environmental conservation but drive a gas-guzzling car, you might decide to switch to a more fuel-efficient vehicle or use public transportation more often.
- Altering their beliefs to match their actions: Sometimes, it may be easier to adjust your beliefs to be more consistent with your behaviors. This can involve re-evaluating and changing your perspective on certain beliefs that may no longer serve you. For instance, if you regularly eat meat but believe in animal rights, you might start supporting sustainable and humane farming practices instead of becoming vegetarian.
- Seeking rationalizations or justifications for the conflicting thoughts: This strategy entails finding logical reasons to explain or justify the inconsistency between beliefs and actions. It can help mitigate the discomfort caused by cognitive dissonance. For example, a person who smokes despite knowing its health risks might rationalize that the stress-relief benefits justify their habit.
- Engaging in self-reflection and mindfulness to better understand the sources of dissonance: Through introspection and mindfulness practices, individuals can gain deeper insights into the root causes of their conflicting thoughts. This understanding can facilitate the resolution of dissonance by fostering greater self-awareness and alignment between actions and values. For example, practicing meditation can help someone recognize and address the underlying reasons for their unhealthy habits.
In therapeutic settings, exploring what is cognitive dissonance can help individuals identify the root causes of their discomfort and work towards resolving it. This can lead to improved mental health and more cohesive decision-making.
Conclusion
What is cognitive dissonance is a question that delves deep into the intricacies of human psychology. It affects our mental health, decision-making, and overall well-being. By understanding and addressing cognitive dissonance, individuals can navigate their thoughts and actions more effectively, leading to healthier and more fulfilling lives. Whether in the context of mental health conditions or positive changes, recognizing cognitive dissonance is key to personal growth and improvement.
About
Heather Caruso is a compassionate, skilled, and intuitive trauma therapist, registered psychotherapist, narcissistic abuse treatment clinician and art therapist. She offers a unique blend of therapeutic approaches to help her clients navigate their healing journeys. Heather’s deep empathy and expertise create a safe and nurturing environment for those dealing with a mental health issue. Heather offers in person sessions in Guelph ON and online session for people from Ontario.
To support individuals in finding the right therapeutic path, she offers a free Zoom chat where people can ask questions and determine if her therapy services are a good fit for their needs. To book an appointment, click the button below.
